The Ministry of Unification announced on February 27 that it will hold the 2026 Local Government Inter-Korean Exchange Cooperation Policy Council to strengthen collaboration between the central government and local authorities in an effort to resume exchanges between North and South Korea.
This marks the first face-to-face meeting in approximately two years and five months, since September 2023, and is the first such gathering under the current administration.
During the meeting, Vice Minister Kim Nam-jung acknowledged the current challenges in promoting inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation. He noted that at the recent 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party, North Korea maintained its stance of two hostile states and expressed a negative attitude towards dialogue with South Korea.
Despite these obstacles, Vice Minister Kim emphasized the government’s commitment to consistent efforts and patience for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. He stressed that the administration would support local government and private sector-led inter-Korean exchange initiatives, which is one of its key national objectives.
Following the United Nations’ (UN) recent approval of sanctions exemptions for humanitarian projects in North Korea, the government also announced plans to resume private support activities that had been previously suspended.
Local government representatives at the meeting presented their plans for inter-Korean cooperation projects tailored to their regional conditions and characteristics. They also highlighted challenges and suggested improvements for these initiatives.
In response, the Ministry of Unification emphasized the importance of maintaining close cooperation between central and local governments in promoting inter-Korean exchange policies. To enhance local government participation in policymaking, the ministry plans to establish a platform for sharing policy ideas and initiatives starting in the latter half of this year.
This council became a statutory body following the amendment of the Act on Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation in March 2021 during the Moon Jae-in administration. It held its first meeting in April of the same year. The council is chaired by the Vice Minister of Unification and includes directors from the 17 metropolitan and provincial governments as members.